1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device, and in particular relates to an inkjet recording device which supplies ink from an ink supply source via an ink supply tube to a recording head unit capable of recording while reciprocating on the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet recording device employing the tube supply system which supplies ink from an ink supply source to a recording head via an ink supply tube is conventionally known. In this inkjet recording device employing the tube supply system, a flexible ink supply tube connects the recording head unit capable of reciprocating along the recording medium and the ink supply source provided to a stationary portion, and the ink stored in the ink supply source is supplied to the recording head unit via the ink supply tube. According to this inkjet recording head employing the tube supply system, since the ink supply source and the recording head unit are provided separately, the recording head unit can be made smaller and lighter, and the recording head can be operated at high speed to enable high speed recording. Further, since the capacity of the ink supply source to be disposed separately from the recording head unit can be increased, the timing of changing the ink tank (supply period of the ink) can be prolonged.
FIG. 16 is a plan sketch view of a conventional inkjet recording device 100; and FIG. 17 is another plan sketch view of a conventional inkjet recording device 100. As shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the conventional inkjet recording device 100 has an ink supply tube 102 for supplying each of plural inks from the plural ink cartridges 101 to a recording head 104 provided to a carriage 103. The carriage 103 reciprocates along a carriage guide 105, and the ink supply tube 102 follows such carriage 103. In other words, when the carriage 103 moves from the position shown in FIG. 16 toward the right end of the carriage guide 105 as shown in FIG. 17, in a plan view, the ink supply tube 102 also moves pursuant thereto. Each ink supply tube 102 is a flexible tube formed from the likes of polyethylene, and is constituted to bend effectively in accordance with the motion of the cartridge 103 in the main body of the inkjet recording device 100.
In addition, also known is a type in which a rotatable portion for following the carriage is provided to the ink supply tube for supplying ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head provided to the carriage, and constituting such rotatable portion from a combination of a flexible tube having a high degree of hardness and a flexible tube having a small degree of hardness (for example, c.f. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-320679). As a result, the ink supply tube can be easily bent, and the miniaturization of the recording device and the retention of the gas barrier effect can be realized.
Nevertheless, with this kind of tube system of a conventional ink supply tube, since the ink supply tube also moves roughly parallel in relation to the movement of the carriage, the pressure fluctuation caused by the bending of the ink supply tube due to such movement is considerable, and there is a problem in that the smooth supply of ink would be hindered. Further, since significant stress is applied as a load to the ink supply tube due to the twisting thereof, there is a problem in that this would have an adverse effect on the durability and longevity of the ink supply tube. Moreover, when supplying each of plural inks to the recording head via plural ink supply tubes, the adjacent tubes would become jammed or entangled and apply a great load to the respective ink supply tubes, and there is a problem in that this would have an adverse effect on the smooth supply of ink and the longevity of the ink supply tube.
Further, with the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-320679, in addition to special processing being required in the ink supply tube, it does not overcome the problem of the adjacent tubes becoming jammed or entangled when plural tubes are to be used.